Crazy for Young Adult Books discussion

Vicki, Maddison and I!
Join us if you can!

I can't wait to read this one. SO many times I was going to but didn't, and now I have awesome buddies to read with and discuss it. Woo hoo!

Thank you for making the thread!

I know! I meant to read this one long ago too!

and Sarah Dessen was one of the authors I got to listen to talk and then meet. She was so sweet. I can't wait to read this.

Really?? That's so cool!!

I started this book once, and really liked it, but then never got around to finishing it. Hopefully this time I do :D

I own this book and need to read it. So I will join you guys.

yay! Welcome Hannah! :)

Happy to have you, Hannah!!

Chances are I'm not going to start this on this date, seeing as I'm starting a library book just a day before this, and I have exams, but I'll read it eventually.

Chances are I won't for probably won't start for another few-lots of days :p I've got exams soon, and I'm already so behind on buddy reads, just know that I will read it soon. When you start, can you post your thoughts, because chances are I won't have much time to discuss long thoughts because I'm so busy, and I'll just respond to your comments.

I love this book. Can't wait to see what ya'll think about it.

I don't want to have to pull out, so I'll try not to, but I'll probably be reading this a few months late, depending on how my other buddy reads go :/ Sorry guys.

no worries, just jump in the thread when you finally get here :)

I'm reading this for a few challenges, so I'll need to read it this month

but I'll post and we can chat when you get here

Can I join too? I have the book, but I haven't started it yet. I am currently reading my first Sarah Dessen book, Saint Anything.

Yes, of course! We'd LOVE for you to join us Rachel!!

Ah awesome thanks :) I'll get to it once I've read my abundance of library books :p

SO, I was lucky enough to get to hear this author talk at an event. She was so wonderful and adorable.

I think the thing that stood out the most is her talk about world building.

When she was working on her first book, she said she would go to reading groups to get feedback and a lot of people wanted to argue with her about the WORLD - saying if she wrote it took 40 minutes to get to airport, that that was wrong because on a Saturday it only takes 20 minutes
OR
that a certain road doesn't actually go to this other road or whatever

Because she based her book in the small town she lived in and everyone knew the roads and routes and she felt kind of nitpicked and she didn't like it.

So she made her own world. And all her books are set in this town she's invented.

and, if you've read her other books, then you may spot her previous characters in books! It may be a car another character drove or current MC spot a cute couple at a table that might be from another book.

Anyway, I found it so fascinating and I love how she just...created her own town. Such an awesome idea! I thought about this because her books starts with a minimap of an area. I love that she includes that!

I'm so excited to start this one!

I love being able to hear authors talk about their books and motivations to write about things or characters!

Thank you for sharing!!!

I'm excited to get to it too!

5 chapters

it's pretty good so far

I love how well Sarah Dessen writes characters.

Maggie(view spoiler)[ I feel bad for her but...yeah, she needs to move on (hide spoiler)]

Dad(view spoiler)[ Holy MOLY, her dad is Bad. selfish - worse than a little kid selfish. He's so self centered it's hard to even read what he says (hide spoiler)]

Heidi(view spoiler)[ Poor thing. I want to hug her and force her to go take a bath and a nap. Ugh, her husband sucks (hide spoiler)]

Eli(view spoiler)[ huh. he sounds interesting
sad that he's JAKE's brother.
Jake is a jerk (hide spoiler)]

Auden(view spoiler)[ I like her so far. (hide spoiler)]

10 chapters

awe, I love this one!

Eli(view spoiler)[ he's adorable. I love how slow their affection has taken. and I love his mom! OMG she's even more adorable. what an amazing family he seems to have grown up in, nurturing his childhood so much, giving them room to really find who they are (hide spoiler)]

Auden(view spoiler)[ I feel bad for her. she has to watch both her parents kind of suck....and she has to figure out what she wants to do and how to make her own place in this world (hide spoiler)]

Dad(view spoiler)[ I'm so mad at him. he isn't present for Heidi at all... :/ (hide spoiler)]

Mom(view spoiler)[ what a piece of work she is :/ (hide spoiler)]

Maggie and crew(view spoiler)[ I'm glad Maggie is really a good person. she didn't have to be, but I love that they've taken Auden under their wings. (hide spoiler)]

and I"m done.
this one was so adorable

Eli(view spoiler)[ I really thought they might be over - and that might be her lesson
I'm glad they weren't and that Eli gave her another chance.
I'm also really glad he started competing again. I like to think that for all the changes he had for her, she also changed him and made him realize he needed to get out there and live life again. Their quests were so cute! (hide spoiler)]

Dad(view spoiler)[ wow, I'm really glad she got down on him too. He really did need to STOP taking the easy way out and just leaving. he did screw up but Heidi was really willing to let him try again. Every time he said that crap about his 9 hours of sleep, I rolled my eyes. I didn't like him at all (hide spoiler)]

mom(view spoiler)[ I was so sad when her mom just hung up on her. who does that? I'm glad they were better. Who would have thought Hollis would get them talking again! LOL (hide spoiler)]

Hollis(view spoiler)[ I'm glad he finally came home and grew up. He really was the voice of reason for a few of them but also some the glue that helped tie the family together (hide spoiler)]

Heidi(view spoiler)[ what an amazing woman she was. she put up with so much and STILL ran a store and looked gorgeous and made it out with her friends. She handled so much and had such a big heart. (hide spoiler)]

Adam(view spoiler)[ I love that he helped teach her to ride a bike (because everyone should know how!)
but also he also got his shot at Maggie (hide spoiler)]

I loved this one! I can't wait to see what you guys think!

Done? LOL I'm glad you liked it.

I will start this over the weekend.

Not even attempting this one. I'll read it some other time.